THE SILVER STATE

STRING BUSTER

DECEMBER, 2019

Merry Christmas

&

A Happy New Year Bluegrass has brought more people together

and made more friends than any music in the world.

You meet people at festivals

and renew acquaintances year after year.

Bill Monroe

Northern Nevada Bluegrass Association NNBA

INSIDE • Sage Creek • MMP Recital

& Jam • Chris Jones • Christmas &

New Years Events

• Bluegrass Tails and Reviews

• Sierra Sweethearts

• Jams • NNBA Events • Reading • Acoustic

Solution

Takin’ a Look Around Focus on Northern Nevada Bands

This Month:

SAGE CREEK

Sage Creek is comprised of veteran musicians from many different musical genres.

They pull songs from an entertaining blend of roots and Americana music: folk, country, Celtic, rock and blues, all with a healthy bluegrass spin.

Steve Gallagher: mandolin and vocals

Dennis Grundy: mandolin, guitar and vocals Annie Pinkerton: bass and vocals

Sharon Tetly: dobro, guitar and vocals Phillip McGill: guitar and vocals

For bookings, contact Steve Gallagher: baconrinds@yahoo.com

Like us on Facebook!

www.facebook.com/sagecreekband

Talk about a Grand Time!

Our own local Mountain Music Parlor is hosting their Annual Holiday Recital/Jam Session and fun time!!!

Saturday, December 14, 2019 Student Recital 5:00 p.m. followed by a great Jam Session at about 7:00 p.m.

735 S. Center St, Reno 775.843.5500

Fun With Song Titles or The Alternate Titles column

Posted on November 27, 2019

Excerpted from article BluegrassToday.com

By Chris Jones I have often suggested that you can name an instrumental anything. You’re not restricted by lyrical content, and in our music we only occasionally choose titles that reflect a feeling evoked by the melody. So yes, anything goes. I usually present as evidence to back up this argument a composition by our band’s mandolin player, Mark Stoffel, called Swine Flu in Union County. If that isn’t convincing enough, I follow that up with Ricky Skaggs’ Spam Jelly. But can you name a song anything? I think the answer is a firm “maybe.” Yes, a songwriter will usually choose a title from a word or phrase in the song that might be a key to the subject of the song, or one that occurs in the chorus, but really you’re not bound by those restrictions either. Flatt & Scruggs wrote the song Thinking About You, and that phrase not only doesn’t appear in the chorus, it doesn’t appear anywhere in the song. The same can be said for Blue Ridge Cabin Home. Sure there’s the Blue Ridge, and there’s a cabin, and “home” is mentioned, but those words never appear together to form that title. Recently I’ve become particularly interested in the song-naming method in which you take the word or phrase that represents the dominant theme of the song and just call it “The (whatever that word or phrase is) Song.” A recent example is Volume Five’s current hit, The Army Vet Song, but we can go all the way back to bluegrass music’s early days, when an alternate title to Molly and Tenbrooks was “The Racehorse Song.” There’s also Jimmy Martin’s late 1950s The Grand Ole Opry Song. Other examples are the Lost & Found’s The Rabbit Song (coincidentally also recorded by Volume Five), and The Windowsill Song, by Becky Buller and Tom T. and Dixie Hall, a song about two windowsills that race each other (one dies and gets buried in a coffin ready-made). It seems to me this way of naming songs takes a lot of the guess work out of the process. Instead of trying to decide whether to call, Bury Me Beneath the Willow just that, or “Under the Weeping Willow Tree,” or “Weeping Willow Tree,” or “Perhaps He’ll Weep For Me,” (and I think I’ve heard it called all of the above), why not just go with “The Weeping Willow Song” and be done with it? “The Guilt Trip Song” would also work. I’ve combed through the big bluegrass song catalog, and here are some suggested alternatives to the titles we’re more familiar with: Toy Heart: “The Toy Heart Song” (not a big stretch there) Uncle Pen: “The Fiddling Uncle Song” Darby’s Castle: “The Burning Mansion Song” 1952 Vincent Black Lightning: “The Biker Song” or “The Red Hair and Black Leather Song” Paradise: “The Bad Coal Company Song” Matterhorn: “The Foolish Mountain Climber Song” Pig in a Pen: “The Pig Song” or “The Needing-Girl-For-Help-With-Chores Song” Dream of a Miner’s Child: “The Possibly-Prophetic Daughter Song” Old Home Place: “The Series of Bad Decisions Song” 99 Years is Almost For Life: “The Unrealistic Life Expectancy Song” Down The Road: “The Property Boundaries and Distances Song” Pretty Polly: “The Creepy Willie Song” Knoxville Girl: “The Creepy Willie Song”

(Song Titles cont. on page 4)

(Song Titles cont. from page 3) Down in the Willow Garden: “The Homicide Overkill Song” Barbara Allen: “The Very Long William and Barbara Song” Rank Stranger: “The Who-Are-All-You-People-Anyway Song” Long Black Veil: “The Singing Dead Guy Song” Rock Salt and Nails: “The Very Very Bitter Guy Song” Send Me Your Address From Heaven: “The Unreasonable Correspondence Request Song” Fox On the Run: “The Running Fox-Who’s-Also-Dying Song” About the Author

Chris Jones Chris Jones wears many hats in his bluegrass career. In addition to leading his own band, with whom he tours and records, Jones is an award-winning broadcaster and songwriter.

Visit him online : www.chrisjonesgrass.com Twitter: @chrisjonesgrass Facebook: www.facebook.com/chrisjonesgrass

Christmas and New Years Events

Bagley Annual Christmas Open House Party December 8, 2019

Note: The Bagley party does not even start until 2:00PM and normally doesn't get fully rolling until about 3:30! The address is 2253 La Hacienda Dr, Sparks, NV

RSVP: patidragon@yahoo.com 775.772.4135 Simple translation: Sunday December 8 beginning at 2:00 PM and goes till whenever.

Please bring a dish to share. We will provide meatballs for sandwiches, Chips and dip, other things to munch, soft drinks, limited

quantities of wine and beer but request you to bring anything special you like to drink. Additional contributions of Single Malt Scotch and Irish whisky are always appreciated.

Please bring your voice, portable musical instruments and music you want to share. Children are welcome, but must be supervised. Please no pets. Dress is casual.

Here is something a bit different by way of bluegrass for your holiday entertainment A bluegrass cantata “Rhapsody in Bluegrass”

Sparks United Methodist Church on Sunday, December 15th. Performances are at 9:00 am, 10:30 am and 1:00 pm.

The address is 1231 Pyramid Way, Sparks.

New Year’s Party and Jam We are searching for an appropriate location for the 2020 New Year’s Party and

Jam and are reaching out to the membership for your help. All suggestions will be reviewed so please send your 2-cents’ worth.

The dates are either January 4 or January 11, 2020. email suggestions to: nnbamailbox@gmail.com

#8 BLUEGRASS TAILS AND REVIEWS BY COUSIN JIM NOVEMBER 2019

TOP GOSPEL RECORDING

Gonna Sing Gonna Shout From the Pen of Rick Lang

See ordering info further down

The IBMA’s top Gospel award for 2019 was presented to the compilation CD, “Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout”. All the songs were written by the great bluegrass writer Rick Lang and are recorded by many of our famous bluegrass singers. Folks like Claire Lynch, Dave Adkins, Larry Cordle, Jerry Salley, and many more put this album over the top. Dave Adkins, kicks-off the album with “Thinking Outside the Box”. This song is in a minor key and allows Dave’s bluesy voice to really shine. Our band Sunday Go To Meetin’ is adding this one to our set list. “Heaven’s Back Yard” is sung by the all girl trio, High Road, and gives us their heavenly harmonies. Other sister acts remind me of the soundtrack of “O Brother”. The Cox Family sings a happy version of “There Will Be Singing”, and the Whites’ harmonies are wonderful on “Don’t Tune Him Out”, reminiscent of their song “Turn Your Radio On”. Marty Raybon, formerly leader of the band, Shenandoah, from the ‘90’s, gives us two numbers, “I See God” and “I’ve Read The Book”. It’s so great to hear Marty’s voice and bluesy delivery coming back to his roots. Larry Cordle, from the group Lonesome Standard Time, sings a swinging version of “Sunday Morning Gospel Jubilee” about a fellow’s conversion from watching a morning TV show. Another modern bluegrass poet, Jerry Salley, produced this CD and took time to sing “The Back of the Church”, about everyone’s need for coming into God’s house, even sitting in the back pew. The title track “Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout” is a happy and bouncy tune in syncopated time. It’s a fun one, and our Sunday Go To Meetin’ band is grabbing this one up for our set list.

Get a copy of this happy CD today!! Available at https://ricklangmusic.com/albums/gonna-sing-gonna-shout/

or Send a check for $15 for 1 copy or $25 for 2 copies (price includes shipping) to:

Rick Lang PO Box 424

Kingston, NH 03848 * Please indicate if you would like a signed copy. Thank you!

TWO-FER MEMORIES

• Earl Scruggs –Dueling Banjos (Original Release Date: July 7, 1987) Original Label: Sony Music Entertainment

ASIN: B00000250R • Earl Scruggs Review-Live at Kansas State (Original Release: 1972)

Original Label: Columbia ASIN: B00489Y5FK

• Both on 1 CD through Amazon.com: Dueling Banjos / Live at Kansas State by Scruggs, Earl (2000) ASIN: B00G2J7GK0 Audio CD $13.85

While shopping at my favorite bookstore, I found a double CD of Earl Scruggs that I did not own. Surprise, Surprise! Earl left Lester in 1979 to go on tour with his son’s and make a more modern music. A little country, a little bluegrass, a little folkie, and a little rock, look out world! And the Scruggs family got to show off their great music.

(#8 Bluegrass Tales cont. on page 6)

(#8 Bluegrass Tales cont. from page 5) The Dueling Banjos album features 10 of Earl’s classic banjo tunes. The band features Earl on banjo, of course, Randy Scruggs on lead guitar, Gary Scruggs on bass and vocals, Josh Graves on dobro, Vassar Clements on fiddle, and Jody Maphis on drums. Earl, Vassar, and Josh are all in the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, today! The audience went wild over many of Earl’s favorites, like, “Reuben”, “Black Mountain Blues”, “Flint Hill Special”, “Randy Lynn Rag”, named for son Randy, and “Fireball Mail.” Vassar tore-them-up playing his “Peking Fling”, and Josh slid his way through his “Just Joshin” with the iconic dobro. Randy and Earl wowed the audience with the Arthur Smith version of “Dueling Banjos.” The guys took their band on the road as the Earl Scruggs Review and made many appearances at festivals, concert halls, and on the College circuit. This album was recorded at Kansas State and as you might figure, the crowd went wild! The crowd’s excitement drives Gary’s singing on the Jimmie Rodgers song “T For Texas.” All the folks loved the Gospel sounds of “Paul & Silas” and one of Woody Guthrie’s folk tunes “Ramblin’ Round”. Earl explains to the audience a little history lesson on where he got started. He talks about community events in his small area where people welcomed just Earl and his banjo. Sometimes a fiddler would be there, and Earl said, “Then we had a band”. And when a guitar picker would happen along, “Then we had a real big band”. He plays “Sally Gooding” alone, then Vassar joins in, then a very cool band all joins in on the fun and finishes the tune. The Review covers “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven”, “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” from Bob Dylan, and Joni Michell’s song “Both Sides Now”. They close the CD with two quick banjo tunes “Bugle Call Rag”, and “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”.

Great listening!! Get a copy today.

HAPPY DAYS The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage

Original Label: Columbia Original Release Date: 1974

Recent Release: Legacy Recent Release Date: May 4, 2010

Available through Amazon.com: Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage. ASIN: B0045DO88S

I remember happy days in the late ‘70’s when a local eatery and watering hole started bringing in bands from the heyday of the Haight-Ashbury era for locals to enjoy. The Reindeer Lodge on the Mt. Rose highway brought in fun acts from the Bay area like Country Joe and the Fish (psychedelic), Beaujolais (Cajun), and New Riders of the Purple Sage. (country rock) This CD captures many of the great songs of an early “side” project of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. Jerry joined buddies, Phil Lesh, David Nelson, Mickey Hart, and John Dawson to form the New Riders as a creative outlet for their “rootsy” instincts. The band evolved from its unique and earthy origins to build an identity as one of the biggest west coast country-rock groups. With the success of the Eagles, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Crosby-Stills-Nash, the band was well received by the “hip” American culture. Many of the songs on the album are now bluegrass standards, too. You’ll enjoy “Glendale Train”, Peter Rowan’s “Panama Red”, and Bob Dylan’s “You Angel You.” We all remember “Hello Mary Lou” by Gene Pitney, and the Jimmy Arnold song “She’s No Angel.” John Dawson wrote the hits “Linda”, “Sunday Susie”, and “Henry.”

Want to take a trip back to our youth? Get a copy of this fun CD and enjoy!!

Happy Listening! Cousin Jim Lappin

For information on the Northern Nevada Bluegrass Association (NNBA) check out our social media presence at nnba.org for our calendar and concise information. Also check out our Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/BluegrassinNorthernNevada/

For contact info for local bands, nnba.org maintains a page with band info and contacts.

The Silver State String Buster is a publication of the Northern Nevada Bluegrass Association (NNBA) and is produced occassionally to deseminate infrmation and news to members and those interested in the spread of Bluegrass, Western, Folk, and local music throughout our community.

The elected 2019 NNBA Board of Directors is: Rick Sparks, Jerry Robinson,

Eric Lovejoy, Martha Greene, Russell Davies, Larry Underwood For information visit the NNBA website at nnba.org or by

Email to nnbamailbox@gmail.com

*# Ouch! It’s That Time of Year!

The Southwestern Pilgrimage Concert featuring Randy Brooks originally scheduled for Friday, December 6 at the Mountain

Music Parlor has been CANCELLED. Randy’s laid up with a broken arm. I know we’ve all been looking forward to this great band’s performance.

Knowing René they’ll be booked again!

Howdy, Y’all” There is a new bluegrass JAM in Reno!

Plaza Maya Restaurant!! It is from 7-9 PM. (could go later if host Miguel hangs around?) This jam will be held on the SECOND WEDNESDAY of each month!!

Mark your calendar. The address is 1640 S Wells, Reno

Come early - Miguel says the food is excellent! Bring the family for dinner and stay for a jam and fun!

Personally, I have fun listening! Hope to see a bunch of you to make a great jam!

How about a great jam!

Bluegrass & Root Music Jam - Susanville Saturday, November 9⋅5:00 – 8:00pm

Monthly on the second Saturday Eskaton Lassen Manor, 205 North Mesa St, Susanville, CA 96130, United States Susanville Bluegrass and Roots jam venue, 2nd and 4th Saturdays, 5:00-8:00 PM: Eskaton Lassen Manor, 205 North Mesa, Susanville. Turn north at Les Scwab Tire Center, go one block, turn right. End of road, look for flagpole at entrance to the recreation room.

Suzanne McDonald, 530-375-0199, msuzanne75@gmail.com for info

NNBA Monthly Lineup of Scheduled Events • 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of the Month – NNBA Bluegrass Workshop & Jam

7-9 pm, First Congregational Church of Reno, 627 Sunnyside Dr, Reno, NV • Monday Nights – NNBA Monday Night Volunteers performances

Time and location varies, Check NNBA.org for Calendar info • 2nd Wednesday of the Month – Bluegrass Jam at Plaza Maya Restauraunt

1640 South Wells Avenue, Reno • 4th Wednesday of the Month – NNBA Moderate to Advanced Bluegrass Jam

7-10 pm, Mountain Music Parlor, 735 S. Center St, Reno • NNBA Board of Directors Meeting

6:30 pm Rountable Pizza off Mae Anne Check NNBA.org Calendar for exact date

How about some readin’ material?

RURAL ROOTS OF BLUEGRASS:

SONGS, STORIES & HISTORY by Wayne Erbsen

Erbsen's book takes a deep look at bluegrass to discover its true roots. Included are the words and music to ninety-four songs, vintage photos, historical introductions and profiles of scores of musicians at the very core of bluegrass. The book contains tips on singing and playing, and includes accounts of the author's personal encounters with many of these legendary musicians.

Order it from Amazon in a paperback here: www.amazon.com

Acoustic Solution is a multi-instrumental duo/trio, bringing a refreshing diversion from expected rock/pop/folk bands. Performing in their current form since 2003, their music is defined by the collection of instruments they bring to the stage. Six

and twelve string guitars, lap-steel, fiddle, mandolins, banjo, bass, congas, various hand drums, traditional drums and percussion, piano, and harmonies

supply interesting and constantly changing entertainment.

email us at: as@acousticsolutionmusic.com

phone: (775)783-8213

For a fun and enjoyable time,

Check out

ACOUSTIC SOLUTION

The Mountain Music Parlor in Midtown, Reno is the local home for all things

Bluegrass, Folk, Grassroots, Ukulele, Barbershop!! There’s lessons for just about any instrument y’all can think of.

Concerts, Jam Sessions, Group Classes, Seminars, and all other kinds of get togethers!

If you haven’t been by lately, you’ve got to go by and take a look at The best equipped Music shop in Northern Nevada!

735 South Center Street Reno Nevada

www.mountainmusicparlor.com

(775)843-5500 Mountain Music Parlor

Northern Nevada Bluegrass Association (NNBA) P.O.Box 3177 Reno, NV 89505